Author: Denis

REVIEW: Blue Bell Dr Pepper Float Ice Cream

Denis 3 Comments

I do not mean to cause any consternation for or to affect the mental well-being of the new Blue Bell Dr Pepper Float ice cream (assuming, of course, that a dairy product can have feelings), but does this product really need to exist? I mean, I am completely inept in the kitchen—making Kraft Mac & Cheese is expert-level stuff for me—but even I can pour a glass of Dr Pepper and drop two scoops of vanilla ice cream in it. I can report, though, that this does indeed need to exist because it is rather glorious.

Part of the wonderfulness is the simplicity. It’s just vanilla ice cream with Dr Pepper-flavored sherbet. An ice cream float is a classic combination because it needs not to be messed with or improved. So this is delicious because it delivers exactly what it advertises—creamy ice cream and soda flavor.

The sherbet portion tastes exactly like the famous soda. I don’t believe there’s any actual Dr Pepper soda in here, as it appears the only non-ice cream ingredients listed are “natural and artificial flavors,” so I have no idea how Blue Bell replicated the taste.

When the vanilla ice cream starts to soften, the creaminess is a bit more noticeable, creating the perfect complement to the distinctive Dr Pepper taste. So take your time enjoying this, at least as much as you can, considering there is a fine line between soft ice cream and liquid ice cream.

If you are concerned that the mixture of ice cream and sherbet will be strange, it’s not. If the label did not tell me this contains sherbet, I wouldn’t have guessed it. The texture of the sherbet is perhaps a little firmer with a touch more grittiness, but it’s only a minor difference.

The only thing missing from this, compared to a “real” float, is the carbonation of the soda. Luckily for you, I’m here to answer the question you are probably asking right now. How would a Dr Pepper Float float taste?

It’s quite good, which is not surprising, but I preferred it sans the Dr Pepper liquid. When mixed with Dr Pepper, I found that the creaminess of the ice cream got overpowered a bit, so what I ended up with was a slight Dr Pepper overload. It was still tasty, and I’d probably make it again, but it did not deliver the amazing taste sensation I had imagined.

Neither Dr Pepper nor Blue Bell are my go-to choices in their respective categories, but together they form a powerful team, and this is now one of my favorites. Plus, it saves me at least a minute or two on the laborious task of combining two ingredients to make a Dr Pepper float.

Purchased Price: $7.98
Size: Half Gallon
Purchased at: H-E-B
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 170 calories, 6 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 15 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 29 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 22 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard

Denis 24 Comments

It is with some trepidation and a bit of embarrassment that I ask you, the fine readers of The Impulsive Buy, am I the only one? Did you all know that puppy chow is a tasty mix of cereal, chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar, and not, as the name implies, food for young dogs?

Ok, so puppy chow is actually both of the above, but I had no idea it could be something tasty for humans to eat. My wife seems to think that I’m the only one so clueless, and I’m hoping to find at least one kindred spirit on here who is similarly ignorant. After some reflection though, I do recall having puppy chow in the past and enjoying it, but I guess I never thought to ask what it was called.

Why all the talk about puppy chow? Well, the Peanut Butter Puppy Chow Blizzard is one of the new additions to the Dairy Queen menu for April (and not an April Fool’s gag as I originally thought). According to my extensive research on Wikipedia, puppy chow is primarily popular in the Midwest and generally contains a mixture of cereal (like Chex or Crispix), melted chocolate, peanut butter, and powdered sugar. There are also a bunch of other names for it, like reindeer chow, doggy bag, or muddy buddies. Apparently, the canine-inspired name comes from the fact that it looks like dog food, so why wouldn’t it be a great Blizzard flavor?

Well, it’s good but not great. The DQ website says its version includes crispy puppy chow pieces, peanut butter topping, and choco chunks. As promising as those ingredients sound, I didn’t think they really worked together in harmony. I could definitely taste the Chex-like cereal, but it had a slightly stale flavor and not much crunch. This also had a very salty taste, and indeed it does have more sodium than the average Blizzard. As for the powdered sugar, it is listed in the ingredients, but it was not noticeable, either by taste or looks as it blends in with the vanilla soft serve. This really didn’t taste much different than a peanut butter cup Blizzard except that it adds an odd-tasting cereal. Did I finish this Blizzard? Of course I did. It’s still a sugar-packed ice cream treat, but this one didn’t have me barking for more.

If you really love puppy chow (of the human food variety), then perhaps you will probably find this Blizzard enjoyable, but I was a bit underwhelmed. In honor of the start of baseball season, this one is a nice single to the gap that might get stretched to a double, but it’s not a home run.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 720 calories, 32 grams of fat, 18 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 320 milligrams of sodium, 97 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 77 grams of sugar, and 16 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Oreo Brookie Blizzard

Denis 2 Comments

If you mosey on over to the search feature on this site and type in “Oreo Blizzard,” you’ll be greeted with a long list of reviews for Blizzard variations with words like zero gravity, firework, cookie jar, and dirt pie. It would seem that Dairy Queen has tried just about every flavor combination possible using the popular chocolate cookie and creme sandwich.

But now it has introduced yet another new one, the Oreo Brookie Blizzard, which of course, features Oreo cookies and brookies (brownies and cookies baked together). It sounds like a humdrum flavor considering DQ has already paired Oreo with fudge brownies and chocolate chip cookies, among many other ingredients.

Except that it’s not!

This one caught me by surprise. It’s rather simple, but it’s also rather delicious. One of the things that enhances the Blizzard experience is having a variety of textures, and this one really delivers in that department. Oreo cookies, as we all know, are crunchy and chocolatey, and when they are pulverized and mixed with vanilla soft serve, they can make for a tasty Blizzard all by themselves. But the addition of the brookies is a game-changer here. They bring in a pleasant soft chewiness to offset the Oreo crunch and provide a subtle chip cookie flavor combined with some brownie fudginess. To my surprise, I really could pick out the Oreo, cookie, and brownie flavors, and they all played together perfectly in my mouth. A great mix of flavors and textures all adds up to a brilliant Blizzard combination.

Dairy Queen sometimes goes a little overboard in trying to pack too many components into a Blizzard so they can call it outrageous or splendiferous or something like that. This one, however, proves again that sometimes less is more.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 860 calories, 39 grams of fat, 16 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 520 milligrams of sodium, 116 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 77 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Blue Bell I Heart Cereal Ice Cream

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What is it?

It is Blue Bell’s newest flavor featuring fruity cereal-flavored ice cream with confetti sprinkles and coated fruity cereal pieces. As you probably figured out from the photo, the cereal is a Fruity Pebbles knockoff. I guess the lawyers at Blue Bell and Post couldn’t come to a mutually agreeable collaboration on this.

How is it?

This little pint is full of surprises. I did not read the label before digging in, so it caught me off guard that the ice cream is not vanilla but rather fruity cereal flavored. And that really makes all the difference here. This has the perfect level of sweetness; it’s not too sugary, but you definitely get that distinctive Fruity Pebbles flavor.

The second surprise is that the cereal remains crunchy even as the ice cream melts, thanks to some kind of magical whiteish coating. The cereal pieces were often clumped together in groups of two or three, delivering a satisfying crunch and burst of flavor every time. The confetti sprinkles are just kind of hanging around to add some color and texture but not really much flavor. If you like Fruity Pebbles and have ever wondered what they would taste like in ice cream form, this one is for you.

I also have to give Blue Bell credit for a little creativity with the name and packaging. If you look through the Blue Bell lineup, most of their flavors are named in a straightforward manner using the same font with a solid background corresponding to the color of the ice cream. This one has a fun, colorful font with a bowl of fake Fruity Pebbles in the background. A job well done by the Blue Bell design department, although they had set the bar pretty low.

Anything else you need to know?

This is one of the few Blue Bell flavors that are only available in pint-size containers, so if you are looking to get a half-gallon of this, you’ll have to buy…umm…I have no idea how many. After consulting with my phone, you’ll have to buy four pints to get a half-gallon.

Conclusion:

I cannot remember the last time I had Fruity Pebbles, and they were never one of my favorite cereals, but this ice cream flavor really delivers what it promises. Yes, I do heart this cereal ice cream, and if there’s ever a Cap’n Crunch version, I just might marry it. Please don’t tell my wife.

Purchased Price: $3.89
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: H-E-B
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 240 calories, 13 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 65 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 26 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dairy Queen Frosted Sugar Cookie Blizzard

Denis 2 Comments

What is it?

It’s the December Blizzard of the Month featuring sugar cookie pieces, icing, and sprinkles. It shares the December spotlight with the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard, but that one is not new. This one is different than the similarly named Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard from a couple of years ago.

How is it?

I did not have high expectations for this one based on the lackluster components and my notion that the sugar cookie flavor would not stand out in a vanilla ice cream base. Even with the bar set low, this was a miss for me, both in taste and presentation.

Now I’m not one who normally cares what a Blizzard looks like, and sometimes the top layer can be deceiving. At first sight, this gives off a bland and boring vibe, and it backs that up with a bland and boring taste. As you can see in the photos, my local DQ was apparently experiencing a sprinkle shortage. The DQ website notes the sprinkles are “festive” but fails to mention they have absolutely no taste. So it didn’t really matter that my particular Blizzard only had a smattering of festiveness.

I can’t really tell you what the icing brought to the table because I could only faintly distinguish that flavor in this. So that left the sugar cookie pieces as the only ingredient left to pick up the ball and score, but since sugar cookie pieces don’t have arms or legs, the ball remained on the field and no touchdown was recorded. Maybe I just got a bad batch of cookies, but they were not “soft” as the DQ website promised. They were quite crumbly and really had no flavor that I could describe, other than generic vanilla-ish cookie.

The sum of the parts of this Blizzard adds up to disappointment.

Anything else you need to know?

I don’t remember having the Frosted Animal Cookie Blizzard in 2020, but another reviewer on this site loved it. While that one has almost the same name, it does seem that it had a more complex variety of flavors, so maybe it’s time to petition DQ to bring that one back and sit this new version on the sidelines.

Conclusion:

I’ve never tried a new Blizzard that I didn’t finish, and I can confirm that my amazing streak of consistency is still intact. But if I had ordered a medium or large instead of a small, then I’m not sure if I would have completed the task. This is still ice cream and cookies, so it’s far better than anything containing kale or carrots, but it definitely ranks as one of my least favorite Blizzards.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: Small
Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (Small) 700 calories, 30 grams of fat, 14 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 290 milligrams of sodium, 95 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 74 grams of sugar, and 13 grams of protein.